Pumpkin Snack Cakes
Here is an easy recipe for pumpkin snack cakes. These snack cake bars are great to add to school lunchboxes, enjoy with coffee, or grab as a little afternoon treat.
You can make this pumpkin snack cake bar recipe gluten-free or sweeter to use as a dessert. The cakes are moist, but hold together nicely to pick up and eat, sell at a bake sale, or add to lunches.
Pumpkin Spice Snack Cakes
Have you pumpkin spiced up your life enough yet? If not, you are in the right place. We have pumpkin recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, and snacks!
What makes these snack cakes and not dessert? Well, they are not as sweet as your typical dessert, like pumpkin squares, making them ideal pumpkin snacking cakes.
The taste and texture of these cakes has me picturing my dad saying, “Hmm, these would go great with my morning coffee.” 😉
Pumpkin Snack Cakes Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this recipe. The measurements are in the recipe card below.
- All-purpose flour: Feel free to use gluten-free flour. Choose all gluten-free ingredients to make this a delicious GF fall snack.
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Eggs
- Sugar
- Brown sugar
- Pumpkin purée: Use 100% pure pumpkin. Make sure it says that on the can.
- Unsweetened applesauce: If you use sweetened applesauce, you will have to adjust the sugar.
- White chocolate chips: For an optional topping.
- Pecans: Finely chopped pecans are another optional topping.
Pumpkin Snacking Cakes Directions:
Step One:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish and set it aside.
Step Two:
Add the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a large bowl. Whisk it to combine.
Step Three:
Add the eggs to a medium bowl and whisk them until they are fully combined and frothy.
Add the sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin purée, and applesauce.
Stir to fully incorporate.
Step Four:
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until fully combined.
Step Five:
Pour the batter into your prepared baking dish and bake for 28-33 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Step Six:
Once the cake is done, remove it from the oven and transfer it to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Step Seven:
Make the topping by adding the white chocolate chips to a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds on 50% power. Stir and repeat the process until the chocolate is fully melted and smooth.
Transfer the melted white chocolate to a small Ziploc bag. Cut off a corner of the bag and drizzle it onto the cooled cake.
Immediately sprinkle the finely chopped pecans over the chocolate drizzle. The toppings are optional, of course.
Slice and enjoy!
Pumpkin Snack Cake Recipe Notes and FAQ
How to store pumpkin snack cake bars.
Store the cake bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
How to make the bars sweeter if you choose.
These bars are not overly sweet. If you’d like to make these pumpkin bars sweeter, mix 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips into the batter before pouring it into the baking pan. Another option is to increase both of the sugars to 2/3 cup each.
Can I make the recipe into a full cake?
Yes, you can skip slicing this cake into bars if you’d rather serve it as a cake. Swap out the white chocolate chips and pecans for a cream cheese frosting for a delicious Thanksgiving cake.
Easy Pumpkin Snack Cake Bars
Equipment
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Ingredients
- 2 cup flour gluten-free if necessary
- 1.5 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 4 egg
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 15 oz Pure Pumpkin
- 1 cup applesauce unsweetened
Optional Topping
- ½ cup white chocolate chips
- ⅓ cup pecans finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350℉ and lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish.
- In a large bowl, mix together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.2 cup flour, 1.5 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, ¼ tsp salt
- In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs until frothy. Add sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin purée, and applesauce and continue to whisk until fully combined.4 egg, ½ cup sugar, ½ cup brown sugar, 15 oz Pure Pumpkin, 1 cup applesauce
- Pour the wet mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients and stir until well combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 28-33 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool on a wire rack until it reaches room temperature.
- For the topping: Place white chocolate chips in a small bowl and microwave for 30 seconds on 50% power. Stir and repeat this process until the chocolate is smooth and fully melted. Transfer the white chocolate to a small sandwich bag and snip off one corner. Drizzle the white chocolate over the cooled cake.½ cup white chocolate chips
- Sprinkle finely chopped pecans over the white chocolate drizzle. Slice and serve. Enjoy!⅓ cup pecans
Notes
- These cake bars will stay fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
- If you prefer a sweeter flavor, you can mix in half a cup of white chocolate chips to the batter before pouring it into the baking pan, or increase the amount of granulated and brown sugars to two-thirds of a cup each.
- These bars have a moist texture but hold together well, making them easy to slice and pick up.
- These bars are a great option for school lunch boxes, fall bake sales, or as a festive addition to the breakfast table during the holiday season.
- For a twist on the traditional flavor, you can swap out the white chocolate and pecans for your favorite cream cheese frosting and serve as a delicious Thanksgiving cake.
Nutrition
More Fall Pumpkin Treats to Make
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